Port Vale: Winning is everything for Yates

by Steve Shaw

DEFENDER Adam Yates says Port Vale would gladly trade another below-par performance for victory in tonight's FA Cup replay at Stevenage Borough (7.45pm).

The Blue Square Premier Division high-flyers snatched a 1-1 first-round draw at Vale Park 10 days ago when Charlie Griffin's injury-time header cancelled out Yates's first-half strike.

Despite the last-gasp nature of Griffin's equaliser, Borough created enough chances to see off a lacklustre Vale side.

But as Micky Adams's men prepare for tonight's rematch, Yates said: "The manager said before the first game that if we play badly and won he'd take that as long as we were still in the hat.

"Well, we're still in the hat, albeit facing a replay, but we want to go there and win.

"All of us would take a bad performance and a good result, rather than vice-versa, because in cup competitions it's all about winning.

"We will look to play as well as we can, but as long as we go through to the next round that will do for us," added the 26-year-old wing-back from Milton.

is back in Adams's first-team following the enforced retirement of Sam Stockley.

Meanwhile, his 30-yard strike in the November 7 clash earned him his first competitive goal in the professional ranks.

While the recent 1-1 draw was the first major meeting between the clubs, they did clash in the little-known Mowlem Cup at Stevenage's Broadhall Way Stadium on February 9, 1967.

The star attraction in Vale's team that night was one Sir Stanley Matthews, the general manager of the club at that time.

But even the Wizard of the Wing couldn't produce sufficient magic to stop Vale slipping to a 4-3 defeat.

Modern-day Borough will no doubt be hoping history is therefore on their side ahead of tonight's match.

The stats certainly are. They stretched their unbeaten run in all competitions to 16 matches on Saturday with a 5-3 home victory over Gateshead.

Meanwhile, they have not lost on home soil since November 29 last year, when Wrexham claimed a 2-1 success at the Lamex Stadium.

Full-back Ronnie Henry is a slight doubt after picking up a knock against Gateshead. However, striker Lee Boylan could return to the bench after shrugging off a knee complaint.

Vale may be forced to switch from a back-five featuring wing-backs to a flat back four for the first time this season.

Adams has been left without a reserve centre-half after defender Luke Prosser serves a one-match ban for his dismissal against Rotherham on Saturday.

His fellow centre-half Gareth Owen is also ruled out after fracturing a cheek bone at Bradford last Tuesday. and striker Geoff Horsfield has yet to recover from a groin injury.

Prosser sits out tonight's clash after being sent off in Saturday's 2-1 home defeat by Rotherham.

Another loss is influential skipper Tommy Fraser, who picked up a fifth booking of the season during the Millers clash and also serves a one-match suspension.

Geoff Horsfield, Vale assistant manager, said: "Losing Tommy is a big blow because he's the skipper and he's very vocal on and off the pitch.

"It's difficult that we've lost him, but it opens the door for another player to come in to try to keep the skipper out of the side."

VALE fans have until 1pm today to buy tickets for tonight's match. They will not be able to buy tickets on the gate at Borough's Lamex Stadium.

Tickets cost £15 for adults, £12 for over-60s and 11 to 18-year-olds, and £7 for under-11s.